Supporting device



iil 31, 192& 1,679,259

H. NEWMAN SUPPORTING DEVICE and Oct. 12, 1926 ATTORNEY 26' eff PatentedJuly 31, 1928.

' uNlTEosTATEs HUGO NEWMAN, OF NEW YORK, 11', Y.

surronrma DEVICE.

* Application filed October 12, 1926. Serial No. 141,177. i

This invention relates to supporting devices, and has for its primary 0readily attached to ajrelatively fixed structure, and which when not inuse, can be very compactly folded and arranged. with respect to saidstructure without complete detachment therefrom.

More particularly, it is the purpose of my present invention to providea foldable or collapsible supporting device which may be attached to theblackboard of a school or class room for the purpose of supporting astereopticon lantern, motion picture machine or other device, and it isone of the important features of my invention to providea simple meansfor easily and quickly adjusting the supporting member verticallyrelative to the face of the blackboard and rigidly sustaining saidmemberin a horizontal position substantially at'rightangles to the faceof the blackboard.

i It is an additional object of the invention to provide simple meansfor securing the several relatively adjustable parts connected withthesupporting member against relative movement when saidsupportingmember is folded to an inoperative position closely adj acentto theblackboard and in substantially parallel relation with the facethereof. 7

-Withthe above and other objects in view, the invention consistsin theimproved supporting device, and'in the form, construction and relativearrangement of the several parts thereof as Willbe hereinafter morefully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, andsubsequently incorporated in the subjoined'claims.

In the drawings, wherein I have disclosed Y one simple and practicalembodiment of the invention and in which similar reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views,+ Figure 1 isa. front-elevation of .a section of a blackboard havingmy improvedsupporting device applied thereto Fig. 2 is a sectional'view takensubstantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the supporting devicefolded"againstthie face of the blackboard; I j

Fig.4 is a sectional view taken'substantially a; malaise-4t: Fig. 3;

ect to pro'-, vide a supporting device which may be Fig. 5 is ahorizontal section line 55 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 6 is a detail horizontal section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 3. Y

Referring in detail to the drawings, for

the purpose of illustrating one application.

of my present invention, Ihave showna section of a. blackboard 5 havingthe molding 6 at its upper edge and. an eraser supporting rail 7 at thelower edge thereof. However, it is to be understood that the supportingdevice to bepresently described in detail is not necessarily limited inits utility to applicataken on the tion to a school room blackboard, butmay likewise be applied to various other stationary structures. 1 t, v IA As herein shown, the supporting member may consist of a board 8 ofsuitable length and width," to one end edgeof which one or moreresilient cushions. or bumper members indicated at 9 may be. attachedfor engagement against the face of the blackboard 5. Adjacent to thisend of the board 8, the angularly bent ends of an elongated U- shapedwire 10 are pivotally engaged in suit able sockets or recesses 11provided in the edges of the board. The .interm'ediatefportion of thisU-shaped wire ,member is also angularly offset or bentas at 12 and isadapted for engagement over spaced pinsindi cated at 13-which are fixedin the molding strip 6 of the blackboard.

, Between the sockets 11 "and the adjacent 'end edge of the board Saneye-bolt 14 is fixed in said board near each edge thereof looselyconnected. Turnbuckle sleeves 16 have a swiveledjconnection, at one oftheir ends with the members 15, each sleeve being provided with aninternally threaded bore to receive the threaded rod 17. One endof eachrod 17 is pivotally connected with an 7 arm of a U-shaped bracket 18 inthe other the bracket may be rigidly fixed in. position. IPrefer'ablyIprovide the rods 17 with angularly bent ends for detachable engagementin suitable openings provided in the arms and to theseeye-bolts themembers15 are ill of bracket members 18, though it will be understoodthat any other desired means may be utilized for eliecting thisdetachable pivotal connection between said rods and the brackets.

A second elongated Ushaped wire member 20 has its intermediate portionloosely engaged through additional openings 21 in the arms of thebrackets 18 to which the rods 17 are attached. The ends of this wiremember 20 are angularly bent for engagement in any one of a series oflongitudinally spaced sockets or recesses 22 in the edges of the member8. Thus, as indicated in Fig. 2, by adjusting the turnbuckle sleeve 16and engaging the ends of the wire member :20 in the proper sockets .22,the device may be readily applied to blackboards or other structures ofvarious heights. By then engaging the intermediate portion of the wiremember 10 over the lixed pins 13 and tightly clampingthe brackets 18 tothe rail 7, the supporting member .8, will be rigidly held in asubstantially horizontal position with respectto the face of the boardThe cushion or bumper members 9 on the end of the supporting member 8contact with the face ofthe blackboard and obviate scratching o1. marring the same. d

When the supporting device is attached and arranged in the positionshown in Figs. 1 and 2 of thedrawings, it will be seen that a rigid andsubstantial support is provided for the stercopticon lantern. motionpicture machine or other object. When the device is not in use, it maybe compactly folded and easily and'quickly arranged against the face ofthe board 5.; Thus, it is only necessary to detach the rods 17 from thearms of the brackets 18 and then swing the inner end of the supportingmember 8 outwardly and downwardly after the member 10 is detached fromthe pins 13. The supporting member 8 may then be moved inwardly closelyadjacent to the face of the board in substantially parallel relationthereto as seen in Fig. 4t of the drawings. In order to hold theadjustable turnbucklcs and the members 10 and 20 against; relativemovcment in this folded condition of the device, I provide spring clips23 fixed to the under side of the member 8 in which the turn- .bucklesleeves lti areadapted :to be engaged and held as shown in Fig. 3 of thedrawings. Also onv the under side ()1 the board 8. I provide a, latchrod 24 transversely slidable in suitable guides and having a hook 525formed on itso'uter end. "lhis hook is normally held inwardly of theedge of the supporting member 8 by the coil spring 27 as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 6 of thedrawmgs. Thus after the several part-s have beenfolded as above described, thehooked end oithe latch is pulled outwardlyand said rod then turned so that the hook will ema supporting memberbrace the adjacent side portions of the two wire members 10 and 20. Asthe member 20 connected with the brackets 18 extends upwardly andinwardly at an inclination towards the face of the board 5, the weightof the member 8 is thus supported inwardly of the pivotal connectionbetween said member 20 and the brackets 18.

From the foregoing description, considered in connection with the ac.'(anpanyi11,; drawings the construction, manner of use and severaladvantages of my improved supporting device will be clearly understood.It will be apparent that an article of this kind is especiallyadvantageous for use in the class or school room, as it may he veryeasily and quickly attached at any desired point along the length of theblackboard and when not in use can be very closely or compactly jf'oldedagainst the face of the board, or may be wholly detached therefrom whendesired. 1 have herein disclosed an embodiment of my presentimprovements which I believe to be entirely satisfactory in practicaloperation, but it will nevertheless be understood that such disclosureis susceptible of embodiment in various other alternative structures,and I accordingly to serve the privilcge ot resorting to all suchlegitimate changes therein as may be fairly incorporated within thespirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In combination with a fixed structure, a supporting member, clampingdevice; adapted to be dctachably secured to a part of said. structure,means adjustably connecting said devices with one end of the supportingmember, a bracing member pivotally connected with said clamping, devicesand also pivotally connected with the supporting member adjacentitsopposite end, and an additional b 'acing element pivotally connectedwith the supporting member adjacent the first named end thereof andadapted-for detachable connection with a part fixed to said structure.

2. In combination with a fixed structure, clamping devices adapted to bedctachablyengaged with a. part of said structure, an adjustable meansdetachably connected with each of said clamping devices and attached tosaid member adjacent one end thereof, a bracing mcmber pivotallyconnected with said clamping devices and means for adjustably pivoting,said member to the su i ortiug member adjacent the opposite end thereof,and an additional bracing member pivotally connected with the supportingmember adjacent its first named end and adapted for detachableconnection to another part of said structure, said adjustable meansadapted to be detached from said clamping devices to permit thesupporting, member to be pivotally ltiii carried by the supportingmember for re movably and temporarily attaching said member to saidstructure including clamping devices adapted to be detac-hably engagedwith a part of said structure, a braclng member pivotally connected withthe supporting member adjacent one of its ends and adapted forconnection with another part of said structure, and additionalmeansconnecting said supporting member with the clamping devices to sustainsaid member in a substantially horizontal position at right angles tothe supporting structure or to permit said member to be folded to asubstantially vertical position closely adjacent to the supportingstructure.

4. In combination with a fixed structure, a supporting member, and meansfor attaching said member to said structure including clamping meansadapted to be engaged with a part of said structure, a bracingmembernected with one end of the supporting member and detachablyconnected to the clamping. means, and said members upon disconnectionfrom the clamping means permitting the supporting member to be folded toa position adjacent said fixed structure and sustained by the clampingmeans in substantially parallelrelation to said structure.

5. In combination with a fixed structure,

a supporting member, and means for attaching said member to saidstructure including clamping devices adapted to be engaged with a partof said structure, a bracing member pivotally connected with thesupporting member adjacent one end of thelatter and adapted forconnection with another part of said structure, additional meansconnecting said supporting member with the clamping devices to sustainsaid member in a substantially horizontal position at right angles tothe supporting structure, said means including adjustable elements connected with one end of the supporting member and detachably pivoted tothe clamping devices, and said elements upon disconnection from theclamping devices permitting the supporting member to be folded to aposition adjacent said fixed structure in substantially parallelrelation thereto, and

means on said supporting member for hold ing the relatively movableparts connected therewith against relative movement in the foldedposition of said member.

In testimony that I claim the'foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name hereto.

HUGO NEWMAN.

